Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-09-09
CAMHRONTS Views.
WHAT HE THINKS OF THE REPUB'
LICAN COMMITTEES ADDRESS.

Naio9 NHBulidu OupPIohohti DVPe' A"'J
Ex-Governor William Il. Came
ron granted an interview to the
representative of the press in Pc.
tersburg and his views we're obtain
ed in reference to the address re-
Gently issued by the Republican
State Central Committee. Discard
ing all prellminaries, the interview
began with the request that Cover.
nor Cameron should give to the
public his opinion of the Republi.
can address and its possible and
probable effects upon the impend-
ing campaign in the State,
AMMUNITION FOR LOCAL SPEAK
Frs.
81 do not think" said Governor
Cameron, "any Importance attach.
es to it which does not belong to
such documents generally. They
are mostly intended to furnish am
mun;tion for the local speakers of
the political party to which they
are addressed, and this seems to
serve that end measurably well,
particularly so in the arraignment
made when comparing the results
of Democratic administration of
the State government with the Re-
publican administration which
preceded it.
WHAT MAHoNE's ADDRESS FAILED
IN.
The address is chiefly remarka-
bic fol- che absence of matter which
somN Republicans at least, had
'hopeN might contain-notably,
in regard to the public debt. A
mere promise that the Republican
party, if called again to power, will
proceed promptly to such measures
as will effect a final disposition OF
the problem-without any formula
ton or even indication of the meth
DDS by which so desirable an end
is to be reached-with no sugges'
ton of ways and means for the re
moval of the stern difficulties which
now beset the scheme of funding
contained in the act of 1882, seems
to me too vague to attract any large
amount of public faith, or to gam
any recruits from the Democrats
with their pledge of passive adher'
ence to
THE RIDDLEBERGER BILL.
1t is very true that to the Repub'
lican party and the laws passed by
it in 1882 and 1888 are due, in my
Judgment, the credit for having re-
lieved Virginia from a bankruptcy
then present, and for having given
TO the Treasury six years of com
parative immunity from invasion
by the coupon, thus making posi-
BILE all that has been done since by
any Legislature or any Governor
in furtherance of education, IN care
of the lunatics, IN execution Of the
laws, in provision for NAMED Con
federate soldiers, or in the creation
of a sinking fund. The Republi'
cans found an empty treasury, a
heavy floating debt, and condition
of things under which coupons alb
sorbed, without resistance, much
the larger portion of the public
revenues. They reduced taxation
they paid off the floating debt they
restored to the public schools their
full quota of the revenues they ex-
tended and improved the accom-
modatlons for the insane; they
gave vitality and impulse to every
branch of government, and in two
years turned over to Democratic
Legislature a surplus IN cash OF
more than S1,JO0,OOO. All this
u p Do o1iidlebessiy as a consequence
DuU matters SScl az tbesa h.
not much torceln the public n haze
unless the benefits are continuedt
a A halt aI6d has been 1T may ;ie " xshsaa4l
mo-" g &c Sfe isuis~6r the misfortune
of the Democrats that the Riddle.
berger bill has ceased to do the
work. And with the people that
is not the important question.
The question is-all previous legis-
latlon for the exclusion of the cou.
pom having been declared void by
the Supreme Court of the United
States-what can be done that will
gain the assent of the court or of
the creditors, and who will do itf
AS far as can be seen, neither party
has any plan, aud any allusion to
the debt question in this canvass
must be based upon past expert
ence and not upon any hope which
can be well founded on the declar-
alton either from Roanoke or from
Petersburg.
WHERE MALONE MISSED 1T.
If either General Malone or Mr..
Barbour had any mode of lettering
affairs in this respect, it may be
taken for granted they would have
proclaimed it. Surely the people
cannot base any ardent expectation
On the silence which both observe
On this subject, and which is about
The only point on which they seem
TO agree. 1t may and probably will
be said that Gen. Malone had and
mas a plan, but feared to promul-
gate it in dread that the Democrats
would make haste to appropriate
md make their contest on it. But
his cannot be so, because if the
Democrats we're to change base
stter the Roanoke convention they
would lose as much as if standing
o their guns, and the Republican
committee would have been entire.
y safe in announcing their scheme
If debt settlement, having waited
Until the Democrats had announced
heir platform. / must confess that
he Republican failure to set forth
some proposition of machinery by
which to arrive at settlement on
be basis Of the Rlddleberger bill,
s disappointment. That instru.
nent is now imperative, and the
light muS+-'-. no will DO moot 10y
Il TO an enactment which has lost
Is operative power.
AUToCRATIC POWER.
1t had also been hoped by some
Republicans that the State Com